Allied Health - Simi Institute for Careers & Education
Organization
Descriptions and credit recommendations for all evaluated learning experiences
180 hours (20 weeks).
January 1965 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to describe the functions of body systems appropriate to the nursing assistant scope of practice; describe the roles and responsibilities of nursing assistants, including ethics, communication, legal responsibilities, and abuse laws; demonstrate professional communication skills, including recording and reporting, and legal and ethical responsibilities; demonstrate safety and infection control practices that comply with standards of practice for nursing assistants; identify stages of growth and development; define common medical terms and abbreviations used in health care; comply with privacy and confidentiality laws; demonstrate behaviors consistent with professional work ethics; adhere to the policies and procedures of clinical sites; demonstrate competence and proficiency in the following categories of skills: communication and interpersonal relationships, safety and infection control, personal care procedures, vital signs, nutritional requirements and techniques, admission, transfer, and discharge procedures, exercise and activity, elimination, unsterile warm and cold applications, care to clients with special needs, end of life care, and care to clients with cognitive impairment. Prerequisite: High school diploma or equivalent recommended.
This course covers basic care and care procedures for patients in hospitals and residents of long-term care facilities such as nursing homes; vital signs; medical asepsis; body mechanics; residents’ rights, and nutrition.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 5 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
72 hours (20 weeks).
January 2016 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of terminology relating to the heart, its basic anatomy, and physiology of the Cardiovascular System; explain how an EKG uses electrical conduction to get readings on the function of the heart—concepts of cardiac polarization, depolarization, and repolarization; demonstrate knowledge of, apply, and use medical instrumentation modalities; correlate the actions of the heart represented by the p wave, PR interval, QRS complex, and T-wave; calculate a heart rate from an EKG rhythm strip; perform EKG waveform analysis which includes interpreting cardiac of the following rhythms: sinus rhythms, atrial rhythms, ventricular rhythms, junctional rhythms, Heart Blocks, and interpreting artificial pacemaker rhythms; recognize EKG findings of Myocardial Infarction and ischemia; demonstrate proper EKG lead placement to perform a 12-lead EKG; perform stress testing; demonstrate Holter Monitoring lead placement, procedure, and analysis; explain the interventions intended to correct the effects of insufficient tissue perfusion associated with dysrhythmia; describe the symptoms of common cardiac diseases; identify the legal and ethical responsibilities of an EKG technician; demonstrate patient care techniques used in a health care facility; and describe cardiovascular drugs, their actions, use, and adverse effects.
This course covers preparing patients for procedures, operating machines, measuring and recording heart rates and rhythms including arrhythmia, vital signs, medical terms, anatomy, and physiology. Prerequisite: High school diploma or equivalent recommended.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 6 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
215 hours (20 weeks).
January 1994 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to establish a therapeutic and culturally-appropriate patient relationship using professional communication; demonstrate basic life support skills designed to preserve life; communicate both orally and written with healthcare professionals in a manner set by the medical community; demonstrate proficiency in use of Advanced Life Support Equipment; select and administer the appropriate drug for an identified emergent condition according to local and national protocol and evaluate the patient's response to the therapy; identify potential scene safety threats, and when necessary, intervene using fundamental crisis intervention techniques; explain basic human anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology related to human development and how it is relevant to providing emergency medical care; display professional behaviors complimentary to the profession through sound ethical decision making; practice emergency medicine under the scope of practice set forth by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and use critical thinking skills to confidently and effectively manage emergency situations.
This course covers EMS systems; workforce safety and wellness; medical, legal and ethical issues; medical terminology; lifespan development; lifting and moving patients; patient assessment; airway management; principles of pharmacology; shock; EMT skills; BLS resuscitation; respiratory emergencies; cardiovascular emergencies; neurologic emergencies; gastrointestinal emergencies; endocrine and hematologic emergencies; immunologic emergencies; toxicology; psychiatric emergencies; gynecologic emergencies; trauma; FEMA; bleeding; soft tissue injuries; face and neck injuries; head and neck injuries; head and spine injuries; environmental injuries; chest injuries; obstetrics and neonate care; geriatric emergencies; vehicle extrication and special rescue; incident management; terrorism response, and disaster management. Prerequisite: High school diploma or equivalent recommended.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 6 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
48 hours (8 weeks).
January 1994 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to describe a home health aide’s role in a private home or community setting; apply ethical and legal rules and regulations for direct care workers; demonstrate oral and written communication skills for speaking with patients, family, medical personnel, and other caregivers using appropriate language and terminology; apply standard procedures to maintain clean and safe environments for both themselves and their patients, including residential, transportation, and outside locations; demonstrate knowledge and skills in areas of science relevant to the home health aide’s role, including anatomy and physiology; apply standard practices to assist patients with the activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, physical movement, and mental exercise; assess patients’ physical and mental condition, including vital signs, behavior, activity level, and mental acuity; administer medications, prescribed treatments, and basic first aid as directed by patients’ healthcare manager (when appropriate and allowed); react appropriately to emergency situations; maintain accurate records of patient care, condition, progress, and change; create meal plans according to prescribed dietary recommendations and restrictions; develop an instructional plan to teach families how to care for patients and react to emotional, medical, and physical situations; and discuss unique practices and procedures involved with caring for special populations.
This course covers legal ethics; infection and safety in the home; personal care services; nutrition; cleaning care and tasks in the home; interpretation of medical role of the HHA and agency; and social needs of the people being served. Prerequisite: Current Nurse Assistant certification.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 2 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
160 hours (4 weeks).
September 1972 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to greet, receive, and direct patients and visitors at a contracted externship site; be familiar with preparing and managing patient medical records, including obtaining and recording patient's demographic data and insurance information; identify and use proper medical terminology, approved abbreviations, and symbols; be familiar with and assist with (if applicable) as needed: urinalysis, blood tests, and cultures; perform and properly document some vision and hearing tests; explain and perform venipuncture procedures, and pulmonary function testing/procedures; prepare examination room and organize equipment for patient procedures; assist with patient examinations, transfers, treatments, and minor surgeries; perform aseptic techniques. Four-week clinical experience may include assisting with the following, pursuant to site and patient/case needs: take vital signs, patient's height and weight, record data and report abnormalities; identify various documentation formats including paperless charting; position and drape patient for examination and/or treatment; identify basic medical instruments and equipment; calculate medication dosages and administration routes; explain intradermal testing (e.g., Mantoux, allergy); identify various drugs, drug classifications, and clinical indications; perform irrigation and/or lavage (ear and eye), suture or staple removal, dressing changes and related first aid; proper handwashing techniques; instruct patients in techniques for collection of specimens and preparations for diagnostic tests; communicate discharge plan instructions; identify subjective/objective assessment and plan for each patient; identify special considerations for pediatric, disability, disease progression, geriatric patients; HIPAA (including confidentiality, privacy, and security), and protected health information regulations (electronic and written); demonstrate understanding of OSHA protocols; demonstrate basic knowledge of electronic health records; and identify members of an interdisciplinary healthcare team and know the scope of practice for each.
This course covers complete patient care including vital signs, patient interview and history, and patient preparation; medical terminology; instrument and field sterilization; sterile procedure and surgical asepsis; minor surgery technique and instrumentation; wound care/durable medical equipment placement, and fitting; pulmonary function testing, including spirometry, peak flow, nebulizer administration and oximetry; ear lavage; basic pharmacology; injections and immunizations; specimen collection, preparation, and handling; urinalysis; venipuncture procedure, and blood handling; electrocardiography (EKG); specialty practice requirements (OB/GYN, pediatrics, orthopedic surgery, etc.); vast medical terminology knowledge including word roots, prefixes, and suffixes; front office administration knowledge such as appointment scheduling, accounts payable, ledgers, and balances, medical procedure prior authorization, and utilization management; CPT, ICD-9 and ICD.10 Coding; medical insurance billing (including HCFA form completion); and preparation for job applications and resumes in the medical environment.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 4 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
270 hours (20 weeks).
September 1972 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to greet, receive, and direct patients and visitors; prepare and manage patient medical records, including obtaining and recording patient's demographic data and insurance information; schedule and maintain patient appointment logs, including no-shows, call-backs, reschedules, and cancellations; identify different types of insurance (e.g., PPOs, HMOs, managed care and referrals including prescriptions); explain and use billing practices, including insurance forms, terminology, procedure, and diagnosis coding; demonstrate job-related computer skills (including word processing, terminology, and presentation software); identify and use medical terminology, approved abbreviations, and symbols; explain the relationship between anatomy, physiology, and pathology; demonstrate proficiency in basic medical math (conversions); demonstrate proper ECG procedures and other cardiovascular testing; demonstrate proficiency with laboratory procedures, collecting and preparing specimens, and point of care testing such as urinalysis, blood tests, and cultures; perform and properly document some vision and hearing tests; explain biomedical equipment usage and maintenance; complete ancillary medical services requisitions and logs; explain and perform venipuncture procedures, and pulmonary function testing/procedures; prepare examination room and organize equipment for patient procedures; assist with patient examinations, transfers, treatments, and minor surgeries; perform aseptic techniques (e.g., sterilization, sanitation, disinfection), and set up and maintain a sterile field; tray set up; take vital signs, patient's height and weight, record data and report abnormalities to physicians only (not patients); identify various documentation formats including paperless charting; position and drape patient for examination and/or treatment; identify basic medical instruments and equipment; calculate medication dosages and administration routes; explain intradermal testing (e.g., Mantoux, allergy); basic pharmacology; identify various drugs, drug classifications, and clinical indications; perform irrigation and/or lavage (ear and eye), suture or staple removal, dressing changes, and related first aid; outline nebulizer treatments/procedures; perform basic first aid and identify CPR/AED basic principles; discuss nutrition principles, therapeutic diets, and health and wellness practices; discuss cultural diversity awareness and holistic modalities; identify the stages of growth and development; define urinary procedures; define assistive devices; outline standard precaution practices and Safety Data Sheets (SDS); outline steps to handling and disposal of contaminated materials or spills; use proper handwashing techniques; instruct patients in techniques for collection of specimens and preparations for diagnostic tests; communicate discharge plan instructions; identify subjective/objective assessment and plan for each patient; identify special considerations for pediatric, disability, disease progression, geriatric patients; identify and adhere to legal documents, standards, statutes, and regulations (advanced directives, DNR, healthcare proxy), work ethics and professional standards; apply principles related to patient rights, HIPAA (including confidentiality, privacy, and security), and protected health information regulations (electronic and written); demonstrate understanding of OSHA protocols; demonstrate basic knowledge of electronic health records; and identify members of an interdisciplinary healthcare team and know the scope of practice for each.
This course covers complete patient care including vital signs, patient interview and history, and patient preparation; medical terminology; instrument and field sterilization; sterile procedure and surgical asepsis; minor surgery technique and instrumentation; wound care/durable medical equipment placement, and fitting; pulmonary function testing, including spirometry, peak flow, nebulizer administration and oximetry; ear lavage; basic pharmacology; Injections and immunizations; specimen collection, preparation and handling; urinalysis; venipuncture procedure and blood handling; electrocardiography (EKG); specialty practice requirements (OB/GYN, pediatrics, orthopedic surgery, etc.); vast medical terminology knowledge including word roots, prefixes, and suffixes; Front office administration knowledge such as appointment scheduling, accounts payable, ledgers, and balances, medical procedure prior authorization, and utilization management; CPT, ICD-9 and ICD.10 Coding; medical insurance billing (including HCFA form completion); and reparation for job applications and resumes in the medical environment. Prerequisite: High School diploma or equivalent recommended.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, up to 15 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
100 hours (20 weeks).
May 1989 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to apply CPT, ICD-10, and HCPCS coding guidelines to identify diagnoses, procedures, and patient medical records; identify the procedures for patient record retrieval and reimbursement; explain the role of a medical coder as a liaison between the health clinician and billing offices; apply computer and information literacy skills using electronic health records software; identify terms, facts, methods, procedures, concepts, theories, principles, and processes within medical billing and coding scenarios; classify relationships among data and items within medical billing and coding scenarios; recognize laws and theories, including issues relating to ethics and confidentiality; calculate solutions to mathematical problems related to reimbursement and medical mathematics; interpret information to make proper coding decisions; and review basic written and workplace communication skills.
This course covers patient advocacy, HIPAA and confidentiality, collecting and protecting patient information and medical records, completion of the CMS 1500 insurance claim form, accurate use of diagnostic and procedural coding systems (ICD-10-CM and CPT/HCPCS), insurance regulation and benefit structures such as Indemnity, PPO, EPO, and HMO in major third-party-payers including Medicare, Medi-Cal, Tricare, Commercial Group Health, exchange plans under the Affordable Care Act, and Worker's Compensation and Disability, basic bookkeeping for medical billing, including patient ledger, patient statements, reading the insurance explanation of benefits/remittance advice, applying contract discounts, applying insurance and patient payments and provisions of coordination of benefits, and the appeal of denied or underpaid claims and the biller's rights under California AB1455. Prerequisites: Basic computer skills and completion of Medical Terminology course are recommended; High School diploma or equivalent is also recommended.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 7 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
260 hours (20 weeks).
October 1983 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills in areas of science relevant to the pharmacy technician’s role, including anatomy/physiology and pharmacology; compare and contrast the roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in ensuring pharmacy department compliance with professional standards and relevant legal, regulatory, formulary, contractual, and safety requirements; describe the steps, skills, and knowledge needed to prepare medications requiring compounding of sterile products, chemotherapy/ hazardous products, and nonsterile products; explain patient and medication-safety practices in all aspects of the pharmacy technician’s roles; demonstrate knowledge of quality assurance practices for pharmaceuticals, durable and nondurable medical equipment, devices, and supplies; define medication dosage forms, routes of administration and drug delivery systems; explain the meaning of terminology and abbreviations in prescription and medication orders; apply the steps in the medication order entry and fill process; process and interpret prescription and medication orders; demonstrate knowledge of accepted procedures in purchasing pharmaceuticals, devices, and supplies; describe the steps needed to initiate, verify, and assist in the adjudication of billing for pharmacy services and goods, and collecting payment for these services; describe the use of current technology in the healthcare environment to ensure the safety and accuracy of medication dispensing; explain the skills and strategies needed for professional and appropriate personal behavior and interpersonal communication; demonstrate familiarity and knowledge of brand versus generic names of common drugs; and explain all major classifications of drugs, their therapeutic side effects, dose recommendations, administration routes and mechanism of actions.
This course covers history, terminology, laws, and standards of the pharmaceutical profession including, but not limited to, effective communication, safety, patient advocacy, classification of drugs, mathematical calculations and conversations, and the ability to differentiate between types of medications and their purposes. Prerequisite: High school diploma or equivalent recommended.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, up to 15 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
120 hours (4 weeks).
October 1983 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to demonstrate, in a clinical setting, knowledge and skills in areas of science relevant to the pharmacy technician’s role, including anatomy/physiology and pharmacology; compare and contrast the roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in ensuring pharmacy department compliance with professional standards and relevant legal, regulatory, formulary, contractual, and safety requirements; describe the steps, skills, and knowledge needed to prepare medications requiring compounding of sterile products, chemotherapy/ hazardous products, and nonsterile products; explain patient and medication-safety practices in all aspects of the pharmacy technician’s roles; demonstrate knowledge of quality assurance practices for pharmaceuticals, durable and nondurable medical equipment, devices, and supplies; define medication dosage forms, routes of administration and drug delivery systems; explain the meaning of terminology and abbreviations in prescription and medication orders; apply the steps in the medication order entry and fill process; process and interpret prescription and medication orders; demonstrate knowledge of accepted procedures in purchasing pharmaceuticals, devices, and supplies; describe the steps needed to initiate, verify, and assist in the adjudication of billing for pharmacy services and goods, and collecting payment for these services; describe the use of current technology in the healthcare environment to ensure the safety and accuracy of medication dispensing; explain the skills and strategies needed for professional and appropriate personal behavior and interpersonal communication; demonstrate familiarity and knowledge of brand versus generic names of common drugs; and explain all major classifications of drugs, their therapeutic side effects, dose recommendations, administration routes and mechanism of actions.
This course covers history, terminology, laws, and standards of the pharmaceutical profession including, but not limited to, effective communication, safety, patient advocacy, classification of drugs, mathematical calculations and conversations, and the ability to differentiate between types of medications and their purposes. Prerequisite: Successful achievement of Pharmacy Technician AH 208 course skills and instructor recommendation.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 3 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
115 hours (13 weeks).
January 1996 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the learning experience, students will be able to explain the function and structure of the capillaries, veins and arteries; explain the purpose and proper technique for using tourniquets; identify the names and locations of the veins suitable for venous and capillary blood collections; demonstrate aptitude with proper blood draw practices, including selecting appropriate equipment, identifying sites of capillary puncture, and labeling specimens correctly; perform blood collection by venipuncture and skin puncture to obtain high quality specimens for clinical laboratory analysis; demonstrated ability to collect and process blood specimens according to laboratory protocol; demonstrate proper tube collection and order of draw; identify additives in blood collection tubes; explain lab tests; recognize factors that affect procedures and results, and take appropriate actions within predetermined limits when corrections are indicated; demonstrate safe and effective use of equipment and supplies used for blood collection and specimen transport; identify blood borne pathogens, biological hazards, and waste; demonstrated ability to adhere to personal safety and rules for the laboratory, needle sticks, procedure and post-exposure follow-up; demonstrate professional conduct and effective interpersonal communication skills with patients, laboratory personnel, other health care professionals, and with the public; recognize the responsibilities of other laboratory and health care personnel and interact with them with respect for their jobs and patient care; and demonstrate a knowledge of government and industry standards related to the collection of blood.
This course covers medical terminology, infection control, universal precautions, medical aseptic hand washing, patient identification, anatomy and physiology, circulatory system, tourniquets, skin punctures, blood collection equipment, selection of anatomical site, blood components, order of draw, routine venipuncture, blood borne pathogens, biological hazards and waste, centrifuge demonstration and its use, personal safety and rules for the laboratory, needle sticks, procedure and post-exposure follow-up, blood smears demonstration, environmental controls, and waste disposal. Prerequisite: High school diploma or equivalent recommended.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 5 semester hours in Allied Health (4/22).
